Naturals Dominate in Series Finale
Published on June 28, 2014 under Texas League (TL1)
Midland RockHounds News Release
No Texas League team was happier to see the start of a new half-season pennant race than the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, who finished the first half at 20 games below five hundred (25-45). Without the split-season format, any playoff hopes for the Naturals would have been a distant memory, with the club 13-and-a-half games out of first place through 70 games.
Much of the first half Northwest Arkansas' misery came against the South Division, going 5-19, including an 0-6 record against RockHounds. The Naturals gained a modicum of revenge Friday night with an 8-2 thumping of the 'Hounds and a 2-games-to-1 series win.
Ethan Chapman's squeeze bunt and Lane Adams' RBI single gave the Naturals a 2-0 lead in the second inning, and a four-run fifth put Northwest Arkansas in solid commandl. Orlando Calixte belted a two-run home run through another strong right-to-left wind (25 miles-per-hour throughout the game) to cap Northwest Arkansas' scoring and build the lead to 8-0.
The RockHounds got on the board in the seventh when Max Muncy walked and Beau Taylor followed with an RBI double. A pair of walks loaded the bases with one out, but reliever Malcom Culver struck out Blake Forsyhthe and Conner Crumbliss to end the threat.
Northwest Arkansas' J.C. Sulbaran recorded his fifth straight quality start, pitching into the seventh and allowing just one run on three hits, walking four (three of those in the seventh) and striking out five. Despite pitching for a club that is 19 games below five hundred (30-49), Sulbaran evened his record at 5-5, with a 3.02 earned run average.
WP:J.C. Sulbaran (5-5, 3.02)
LP:Chris Jensen (4-7, 4.05)
HR:NW Arkansas - Orlando Calixte (7) A 2-run HR in the seventh (off Ryan Doolittle)
Kibbles & Bits
- The RockHounds are now 43-35 overall for the season, still the Texas League's second-best overall, a half-game behind Frisco (43-34) and one game ahead of Tulsa (42-36) ... the 'Hounds have dropped two straight, their first defeats in nine games against Northwest Arkansas.
- "The North Shall Rise Again!" When Tulsa edged San Antonio, 1-0, in 14 innings, the North Division had swept all four games Friday night. As a result of the sweep, the standings are unchanged. The RockHounds (5-3) lead San Antonio (5-4) by a half-game ... Frisco (3-5) by two and Corpus Christi (3-6) by two-and-a-half. Three clubs share the North lead at 5-4 with first half champ Tulsa (4-5) one game back.
- The Naturals banged out 29 hits over the last two games of the series. Lane Adams, Angel Franco and Hunter Dozier may have to have been dragged to the team bus to get them to leave Security Bank Ballpark. Adams (2-4, run, RBI, walk, two stolen bases) finished the three-game set going 5-for-13 with three doubles, a home run, four RBI and two stolen bases. Franco, hitting just .202 entering the series, went 8-for-13, scoring two runs and driving in another. He raised his average 37 points in the three games, finishing at .239. Dozier, drafted in June of 2013 out of Stephen F. Austin University, went 6-for-14 with a run and three ribbies for the Naturals.
- Chris Jensen had not allowed a run in either of his last two starts (and 14.2 innings overall), but NW Arkansas got to the 'Hounds right-hander for a half-dozen runs, all earned, in 4.1 innings Friday night ... Ryan Doolittle had allowed just one run in his last nine appearances (14.2 innings) before giving up Orlando Calixte's two-run home run ... he also saw all three inherited runners score.
- Beau Taylor (1-3, RBI double, walk) is hitting .333 over his last 15 games ... Blake Forsythe extended his hit streak to six games with an RBI single in the ninth, but also struck out twice with men on base (two on and two out in the second and the bases loaded with one out in the seventh) ... Chad Oberacker (1-3, walk, strikeout) has hit in 8-of-his-last-9 games (10-33, .303).
- The RockHounds committed their first error in five games Friday, with Billy Burns charged with a tough throwing error.
- The 'Hounds now open a three-game set with the Arkansas Travelers, with games Saturday (7 p.m.), Sunday (6 p.m.) & Monday (6:30 p.m.).
Next Game
vs. Arkansas Travelers (Los Angeles Angels' AA Affiliate)
Saturday, June 28 - 7:00 p.m. (Radio at 6:53 p.m.)
Security Bank Ballpark
Probable Starters
Arkansas: Michael Roth (LH, 6-4, 2.46)
RockHounds: Sean Murphy (RH, 2-0, 1.42)
Texas League Stories from June 28, 2014
- Hooks Drill Tulsa - Corpus Christi Hooks
- Travs Blow out Hounds Late in Opener - Arkansas Travelers
- Corpus Christi Takes Opener from Drillers - Tulsa Drillers
- Adams Homers in Naturals Loss - Northwest Arkansas Naturals
- Claudio Earns Win in '14 Frisco Debut - Frisco RoughRiders
- Claudio Earns Win in '14 Frisco Debut - Frisco RoughRiders
- Saturday's Game Postponed, Fireworks Moved to Sunday, Doubleheader Set For Monday - Springfield Cardinals
- Missions Game - San Antonio Missions
- Frisco RoughRiders Game Notes - Frisco RoughRiders
- Frisco RoughRiders Game Notes - Frisco RoughRiders
- Naturals Dominate in Series Finale - Midland RockHounds
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